An Evening Aboard The Cape Rouge
by Damonficgirl
Summary: A few days after the Season 1 episode Ball and Chain Audrey pays Duke a visit. Banter and flirtation ensues. Fun Audrey/Duke fluff with a bit of foreshadowing of Audrey/Nathan.


**An Evening Aboard the **_**Cape Rouge**_

Setting: Season 1 after _Ball and Chain_, because this story really belongs there, I wouldn't see things going down this way at all in Season 2 with A/N more firmly established but I think there is a little more room to play with A/D in early Season 1.

"Hey," Audrey greeted Duke warmly from the dock next to the _Cape Rouge_. The sun was sitting low on the horizon but between the twilight and the streetlights near the Warf she could easily make out Duke's familiar built form. Audrey held a bottle of white wine and a basket of savoury muffins, it was an odd mixture but then this was an odd visit.

"Hey stranger," Duke returned, pleasantly surprised. "You brought baked goods, what do you want? My father always taught me to be weary of police officers bearing gifts."

"I'm off duty, or I wouldn't be carrying this," she held up the wine. "Permission to come aboard?"

"Permission granted," Duke smiled and he led her onto the deck. He already had a canvas deck chair set up and he hastily set up another for Audrey, he dragged a fishing crate into position as a makeshift table and she deposited the muffins and the wine onto them. Audrey noticed that even though the day was beginning to cool off and she wore a grey wool jacket open over her blouse Duke still seemed comfortable in jeans and a singlet that showed off his tattooed biceps. She wondered if he ever got cold or if he was just too vein to cover up.

"So I just wanted to see how you're going, it's been a rough couple of days," Audrey gave him a knowing look.

"Yeah well I forgot most of what happened so I guess that's okay."

"You're really okay with all of this?"

"No, not at all, but I don't seem to have a choice so I've just got to get on with it."

"You're a survivor aren't you?" Audrey observed.

"Well I've been on my own for a while, and before that wasn't much better. In fact surviving my father was a whole other adventure, but lets add that to the list of things I don't want to talk about."

"That's okay, I'm just here to be a friend not a shrink."

"How many times did I ask you out and you never showed and then I turn into an old dude and you bring wine, you got a thing for older men Parker?" Duke teased as he opened the wine, thankfully it was a screw top. Audrey laughed. "I'll just grab us some glasses."

"I'm a big girl, this isn't a date, we can share."

"I'd be impressed except you just aid this isn't a date, you're breaking my heart Parker."

"It's good to know you've got one."

"Ouch that hurt!" Duke scowled. "You're lucky these muffins are good or I'd kick you off my boat," he threatened taking a bite of a cheese and spinach muffin and washing it down with a swig of wine before passing the bottle back to Audrey.

Audrey took a sip, smiled and then took a bite out of a cheese and bacon muffin. "You're right, they aren't bad," she agreed.

"So if I'm not getting any does that mean you and Wuornos…?" Duke let the question hang in the air between them.

"I'm going to need more wine before I answer that," Audrey smiled and drank deeply from the bottle. "No, Nathan and I have a professional relationship, I don't know maybe he's interested, but he's not saying anything-"

"He wouldn't, he's practically an alter boy."

Audrey shrugged, "and it's probably better we don't, to get into it with your partner, you'd have to be pretty serious about each other, you'd have to know it was worth risking your working relationship."

"And its not?"

"Not right now."

"So maybe?"

"More wine!" Audrey laughed.

"What happened to us Parker, we're young and hot we should have hit it off," Duke whined.

"You're so modest!" Audrey grinned , "I don't know I think we had a moment or two but I kind of like being your friend Duke. I don't really make friends easily so that's more important to me. I know you probably don't feel that way.."

"No, I value your friendship Audrey," Duke began seriously, eyeing her with sincerity, "But the difference between Nathan and I is that if you slept with Wuornos it would be the whole romantic drama, it would end with picking out china plates or moving interstate, one way or the other. With me, things don' have to be so serious, I can do casual, we could still be friends."

"Are you dropping a hint."

"A hint would be subtle; I'm about three sips of this off printing invitations. Come to bed with me Audrey," Duke murmured and lent towards her. His dark eyes bore into hers, full of invitation and promise. His mischievous grin oozed experience and confidence. This should be the last thing either of them wanted after watching Duke almost die because of a one night stand but ironically it had only make them all the more aware of how easily life could be over, and that they were all getting older, slowly moving towards death.

Audrey should have pulled away, but instead she leant forward, the felt his breath on her lips as he whispered, "You won't regret it, I promise." She knew it was a line, she knew what he was, the playboy bad boy who led a parade of beautiful women through his bedroom, but that was also part of the allure, she believed him when he said he wouldn't get attached, that he wouldn't expect too much of her. Audrey wasn't ready for a serious relationship, she couldn't even begin to imagine what it meant to be truly intimate and seriously committed to someone. Nathan Wuornos was the first man that had ever made her seriously consider either options as desirable approaches to life but she wasn't there yet and she didn't know if she'd ever be. Duke was… right in front of her, and when he tilted his head slightly to the right and smiled a smile that flashed his pearly white teeth she melted into him and met his soft experienced lips with knowledgeable moves of her own.

Audrey might not be the settle down type but it wasn't her first kiss. It would certainly rate in her top ten though, it was sweet and soft yet vigorous and enticing. She felt the flood of endorphins that accompanied arousal and the comfort of human contact when his hand caressed her hair, cupping her head with his large hand.

"So you're okay then?" she whispered in a breathy voice when they parted, Duke's nimble fingers were already attacking her blouse.

"I'm good," Duke affirmed, nodding. His eyes were studying the little bits of shoulder and chest that he was revealing.

"Good," Audrey smiled. "Because I think we should stop."

"But you don't want too."

"Right now, I don't, but one day I'd wish we did, so how about we leave this here, you enjoy your muffins and we'll both pretend this didn't almost happen."

"You're not going to tell Wuornos?"

"Not unless you're right about those china patterns. That face of yours is too pretty to risk permanent damage."

"You're right there," Duke agreed. "Well Parker, every fisherman has to have a good story about the one that got away."

"Just don't mention any names," Audrey smiled. "But thanks, I was feeling… I just was."

"Any time," Duke smiled broadly. "Thanks for the muffins."

"No problem," Audrey smiled and with a deep intake of air she left the Cape Rogue. She gave Duke a wave and a guilty smile from the dock, and stumbled off to find a cab. Part of her couldn't believe how close she'd come to giving in to her baser instincts, and part of her couldn't believe that she'd walked away from her gorgeous new friend, but she'd been right all along, she needed a friend more than a boyfriend right now and Duke might be able to turn off his feelings but she was pretty sure that if she crossed that line she wouldn't find it so easy. For all his playboy antics Duke Crocker was a sweet man not far below the surface and he didn't deserve to be a casual fling. To her great surprise Audrey Parker found herself hoping that she'd been in _Haven_ long enough to see him settle down with someone. He might not be her special someone, but Duke Crocker would always be special to her.

**Authors Note: I hope Audrey/Duke fans can forgive me, I know this probably isn't quite the end you wanted but I *am* mostly an Audrey/Nathan shipper, I just love Duke and his chemistry with all the characters and this came to mind. I hope you enjoyed it anyway. **


End file.
